11 South Mumbai properties fined Rs 18 lakh for selling water to tankers

MUMBAI: Allowing water supply tankers to fill up water through residential wells/taps for distribution in areas facing a scarcity can attract a heavy fine. The BEST administration, on a tip-off from RTI activist S K P Dhoka, slapped a fine of Rs 18 lakh on 11 residential and charity establishments in South Mumbai for allowing or permitting tankers to use water pumps to refill and supply to surrounding areas.

The pumps were being run on residential electricity meters, whereas supply of water to tankers is a commercial activity. Most cases have been identified in Kalbadevi and Dhobi Talao. “Supplying tankers by charging money after collecting it through pumps connected to residential power meters is criminal. As per BEST, one should obtain commercial meters for that,” said Dhoka, who fights illegal ground water extraction from South Mumbai wells.

Recently, the national green tribunal (NGT) issued a warning. Its bench, led by Justice U D Salvi, restrained three residents of Dhobi Talao from extracting water from two bore-wells near Jagannath Shankar Sheth Road in C ward without permission/NOCs from the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) and State Ground Water Authority (SGWA). They have to install or take water through commercial meters.

A senior BEST official said most tanker operators have commercial meters. “We keep an update of all meters allotted and check regular tanker operators so that they do not misuse them by using residential meters and evade tariff,” the official said. Of the 11 establishments issued notices by BEST, two have deposited the provisional claims and fines worth around Rs 70,000, while nine are yet to pay up.

Another official said, “There have been cases of tariff evasion but it has been kept under watch.” He said most operators draw water from old wells in Fort ,Girgaum, Mahim and Dadar. They fill up tankers at night but we have not come across electricity theft. “In case any resident has a tip-off of violations, it can be passed on to the customer care department of the local ward office. If unhappy with the action taken, you can complain to higher-ups at the BEST headquarters in Colaba, the official added.

Assistant municipal commissioner, through an affidavit before NGT, asserted that the civic body had not granted permission/licence/NOC to residents for using or extracting water from unauthorized wells and their activities were in violation and contravention of provisions under Section 381 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act. In fact, BMC had issued notices to some to dismantle pipelines, the affidavit revealed.

The state is a “non-notified area” and permission or an NOC of the CGWA is mandatory, and any violation attracts action under section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

Currently, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is levied at 12 per cent on payments made for under-construction property or ready-to-move-in flats where completion certificate has not been issued at the time of sale.